Lunch pail



C. L. MORRIS Sept. 18, 1962 LUNCH PAIL Filed Aug. 1'7, 1960 Corbin L.Mar/is INVENTOR.

9 BY WW fi ilnited States Eatent 3,054,502 LUNCH PAIL Corbin L. Morris,434- lVioni-ovista Ave, Monrovia, Calif. Filed Aug. 17, 1960, Ser. No.50,198 4 Claims. (Cl. 2064) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in lunch pails or boxes of the type accommodating a vacuumbottle, and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner ashereinafter set forth, a device of this character wherein the Weight isso distributed as to prevent the pail from readily tipping over.

Another very important object of the present invention is to provide, ina lunch pail of the aforementioned character comprising a box adapted toreceive a vacuum bottle and having a removable food tray mountedtherein, novel means for supporting said bottle and said tray, with theformer beneath the latter, in said box.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved lunch pail orbox of the character set forth which will be comparatively simple inconstruction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight, attractive inappearance and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent resides in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a lunch pail constructed in accordancewith the present invention with portions thereof broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a view in transverse section through the device;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the device with the cover and removablefood tray omitted;

FIGURE 4 is a view in vertical longitudinal section through theinvention; and

FIGURE 5 is a detail view in perspective of one of the vacuum bottlecradles.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises agenerally rectangular box of suitable dimensions and material which isdesignated generally by the reference character 6. The box 6 includes abottom 7, a rear wall 8, a front wall 9 and end or side walls 10, thelatter having ventilating openings therein as indicated at 11.

The box 6 further includes a cover 12 hingedly mounted for verticalswinging movement on the upper portion of the rear wall 8 thereof, asindicated at 13. The cover 12 is provided with a handle 14. Suitablelatches 15 on the front wall 9 of the box secure the cover 12 in closedposition.

Mounted in the lower portion of the box 6 is a pair of generallyU-shaped cradles 16 for the reception of a conventional vacuum bottle17. In the embodiment shown, the cradles 16 include flat, downwardlyoffset intermediate base portions 18 which rest on the bottom 7 of thebox 6. The cradles 16 further include outturned end portions 19 whichabut the walls 8 and 9 of the box 6 and which are adapted to receivethereon a removable food tray 20 for supporting said tray in the upperportion of said box over the vacuum bottle 17.

It is thought that the use of the device will be readily apparent from aconsideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the cradles 16 may be fixed inthe box 6 in any suitable manner. The construction and arrangement issuch that most of the weight of the device is in the lower portionthereof, particularly when the vacuum bottle 17 is full. Thus, the pailis prevented from being easily tipped over. This also applies when thecover 12 is in open position "it a ace on the rear wall 8 of the box 6.With the tray 20 mounted above the bottle 17 the food in said tray willnot be damaged should said bottle leak or be broken. Access to thevacuum bottle 17 is readily had by removing the food tray 20.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A lunch pail comprising, in combination, a generally rectangular,open box including a bottom, end walls, a front wall, a rear wall and ahinged cover on said rear wall, a pair of generally U-shaped cradlesremovably mounted transversely at longitudinally spaced points in thelower portion of the box and resting on the bottom, a vacuum bottleremovably mounted in the cradles, and an open-top food tray verticallyslidably removably mounted in the upper portion of the box and retainedtherein and closed by the cover when said cover is in closed position,said tray resting on the ends of the cradles and on the bottle andsupported thereby in elevated position in the box and retaining saidcradles in the box and the bottle in said cradles whereby, when thecover is open, the assembly comprising the tray, bottle and cradles maybe removed leaving the box clear.

2. A lunch pail in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cradles includeflat, generally U-shaped intermediate base portions receiving the vacuumbottle therein and resting on the box bottom for supporting said cradlesagainst rocking movement thereon.

3. A lunch pail comprising, in combination, a generally rectangular,open box including a bottom, end walls, a front Wall, a rear wall and ahinged cover on said rear wall, a pair of generally U-shaped cradlesremovably mounted transversely at longitudinally spaced points in thelower portion of the box and resting on the bottom, a vacuum bottleremovably mounted in the cradles, and an open-top food tray verticallyslidably removably mounted in the upper portion of the box and retainedtherein and closed by the cover when said cover is in closed position,said tray resting on the ends of the eradles and on the bottle andsupported thereby in elevated position in the box and retaining saidcradles in the box and the bottle in said cradles whereby, when thecover is open, the assembly comprising the tray, bottle and cradles maybe removed leaving the box clear, said cradles comprising flat outturnedend portions engaged beneath the tray and abutting the front and rearwalls of the box for retaining the cradle against lateral displacementtherein and for preventing spreading of said cradles.

4. The combination of claim 3, said cradles further comprising flat,generally U-shaped intermediate base portions receiving the bottletherein and resting on the bottom for retaining said cradles againstrocking movement.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS898,007 Rowe Sept. 8, 1908 1,773,663 Dickens Aug. 19, 1930 1,867,455Humphrey July 12, 1932 2,783,874 Brown et al. Mar. 5, 1957 2,960,216Brady Nov. 15, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 256,804 Great Britain Aug. 19, 1926

